Verizon customer hears a different answer every time he asks

James Mangano knows numbers. He’s an accountant for a state agency and his job involves diving into piles of numbers and coming up with useful information.

But the number that bedeviled him most since last November was not on a spreadsheet, rather it was the toll-free customer service number for Verizon.

The telecommunications company has driven this man to distraction. He’s made trying to understand his Verizon bill practically a part-time job since November.

“Every time I call I’m on hold for 30 minutes, an hour, a couple hours,” he said. “It’s brutal.”

He has kept exquisite notes detailing his phone contacts with Verizon since he first noticed a discrepancy with his bill late last year. He endured a six-hour phone call with customer service, much of that time spent on hold, and a four-hour phone call as well. When he knows he must call Verizon he usually blocks out an hour-and-a-half.

So why all this time spent getting know the “Can you hear me now?” people? Because he couldn’t understand why he was paying a higher monthly bill than he was initially quoted.

And, no one, not a single person in the Verizon customer service universe, seemed to understand that either.

Here’s the short version of his story: Mangano, of Schenectady, answered a newspaper ad last October that offered an upgrade to high speed DSL Internet access, a wireless phone plan, and a land line for a discounted price. He was paying about $136 a month for those services (including a slower internet connection). He was quoted price of $104 a month plus tax and
fees.

A couple weeks later he called to inquire whether the new deal was in effect. He spoke to a different customer service representative, who told him that his $104 bill “Would never fly. Verizon would never approve that,” Mangano said, recalling what this representative told him.

Mangano was told that the $104 price was quoted to him not by Verizon itself, but by a third-party marketing firm. Mangano said what I would have said: Not my problem. I made a deal with people who answered the phone “Verizon,” and that?s the price they quoted me. That rep finally agreed with him. After several months of waiting, however, his bill never went down. In fact it was higher, in the $140 range. Mangano suspected a classic bait-and-switch.

What happened? Who knows? Every time he spoke to Verizon he was put on hold and given a different answer. “One person told me it was because I was getting enhanced Internet service, but I told her that I was promised the lower price even though I got the Internet upgrade,” he said.

Now, imagine his frustration from all this bureaucratic uselessness. On top of this, he began experiencing periodic Internet outages, which required him to navigate Verizon technical support, as well, which also required literally hours on hold. In June, his Internet access was out for 10 days. In July, his account was disconnected for “nonpayment,” even though he
proved to Verizon he had paid his bill four days before due date (and had never missed a payment). And I’m just giving you the highlights.

Here’s what Kevin Laverty, a Verizon media relations executive told me: Apparently Mangano was paying a higher price because he had extra cell phone lines and additional monthly minutes that weren’t included in the promotional price.

And that’s it. That’s the answer. Why was this so complicated and why was he placed on hold for endless hours?

“It’s unfortunate that Mr. Mangano was on hold for so many hours not seeming to get the same message consistently from Verizon about his billing and pricing,” Laverty wrote in an email to me.”

“He didn’t deserve to be treated like this (no one does) and it isn’t our intention to treat our customers that way.”

Well said. Laverty also told me that Mangano’s case might be used as a training tool in the future for how not to handle a valuable customer.

31 Responses

I’ve long since found that customer service, in the communication industry, no less, has gone straight out the window. Verizon and its predecessors have a long standing history of putting people on hold, not answeing questions, telling its customers that they are mistaken and not accepting resposnibility for its own errors. In fact, most of the time, if you call a custoimer service line (any company, pick one), there’s not even an option to “press 0 for the operator.” So no matter what your issue, you will never speak wtih anyone, never get an answer or resolution, and they keep you as a customer in the end, albeit an irate and frustrated one. When Time Warner put out their 2-in-1 package (not really a savings, either), Verizon was quick to follow. While I have issues with TW on a regular basis (usually outages), at least tehy answer their phones! Another scam to be ware of – Verizon and Sprint have both called my house and have “authorization” to switch my plans from TW to their plans….and I’ve never once spoken with them. Go figure. Whatever happened to the customer is always right? Instead, the customer is always taken advantage of.

I had the same problems with their DSL service, spent months calling and complaining, longest on hold was nearly a half hour so I guess I was treated a little better. I think the lengthy hold times are intentional, because they hope you’ll get frustrated enough to hang up, and give up. They don’t know me! They finally agreed to credit me for some of the charges. I eventually filed a complaint with the State and got more back many months later. Funny thing is (funny odd, not funny ha-ha), I never even had their equipment installed in my home! It cost me anyway. I’m now with Time Warner. Does anyone wonder why?

Verizon landline customer service is HORRIBLE… we have been trying to get the One-Bill set up for about 6 months now. They keep telling me SOON.

Verizon Wireless customer service has always been great. At least for me. They even credited us back about $60 when my hubby went over on texts since we were willing to bump to a higher text plan (only $5 a month more).

#1- I have found that even if it doesn’t say 0 for operator, if you push 0 twice it’ll usually transfer you.

i have a business line with verizon. i can’t dial out, it is just forwarded to another line. for years ive gotten phone calls saying i just received a call from this number and i’ve replied: that’s impossible it’s a line that’s just forwarded. i’ve received calls from people so angry that they wanted to put my number on the donotcall list! they may have!

it turns out that someone else also has my number! they can call out and receive calls and are doing so. i have called verizon to be put on hold for hours and spoken rudely to by the people who have answered the phone. as b mcmahon said above they are telling me i am mistaken and not accepting responsibility. they actually told me it was my problem!

I have no idea how to deal with this. for the sake of my business (im sure im losing clients) this must be resolved. any advice would be appreciated.

My classic Verizon episode was when they overcharged me by about twenty buck and admitted so but told me I still had to pay the overcharge and they would credit that amount on my next bill?? I asked if they had overcharged by, say, $5,000, would I have had to pay that and get a credit!! The nitwit said they could not come to my house “and change my bill”. I am going to switch to Time Warner for phone service..

To #6 – ita: Cancel your Verizon phone account and open one with Tech Valley Communications. I am the business manager for my office, and we had business phone lines with Verizon and were getting absolutely raped on the cost. Even though we paid a penalty for breaking our contract, we ended up saving a lot of money in the long-run by by going with Tech Valley, whose monthly bills are less than half what they were with Verizon. Also, we have never had a problem with the Tech Valley service, so I would check them out. Or any other alternative phone service provider. Verizon is not the only game in town.

When you have a problem with Verizon, file a written complaint with the Public Service Commission. I have done this twice when having problems with Verizon, and the PSC took action quicky — and so did Verizon, correcting the problems they created. Just recently, Verizon kept giving me different dates to connect DSL, then denied they had ever given those dates, and said the DSL could not possibly be connected the next day when they’d last said it would. This time, I told the rep that if the DSL was not connected as promised, I would file with PSC. After a few minutes, the rep came back and told me it would be connected the following day, after all. Result: it was connected within five minutes of that call! What was utterly impossible to do was done, with the threat of going to the PSC.

P.S. Most of the times I have had to call Verizon (and there have not been many), their personnel have been polite and helpful. But it’s true that like any large company they do have a few bad apples in their barrel.

There is something about Verizon that I don’t know what to do about. Occasionally their marketing people call to try to sell me services that I already subscribe to. These telemarketers do not reserach the people they are calling. Apparently they go on a selling spree, because I have gotten as many as three calls in one week, promoting what I already have.

I found a long time ago that the only way to get anything done with Verizon was to quote the Public Service Commission complaint line phone number, 1-800-342-3377. Suddenly the outage repair that they had promised for “next Wednesday” becomes “tomorrow morning” at the mention of the magic number.

Well, I got my home phone number changed after thirty years of having the same phone number. My verizon service includes the home phone, I maintain the verizon on a separate account, and also DSL.

At the time I changed my number I told them, I need a private number, with no strings attached. They gave me a number of an export company. This guy has everyone and their brother looking for him including government agencies, bill collectors, etc.

Further, every month, although I pay all my bills early from the first billing cycle for about eight months, my dsl went off every month. After a while, I had enough. I started to say, I pay my bill every month and the DSL is going off. It was some sort of coding problem. Finally, I started yelling at the tape that goes through this long ritual, and by the time a live person got on the phone, and would guide me through getting my DSL back on, I would say, “This is too much. I am going to kill myself if this happens again.” He said, in this foreign but pleasant voice, “I will note that in your file.” DSL works now.

I’ll make a note of the infomration about the PSC. I find that this happens more and more when companies have their customer service contracted or subcontracted out–the representatives simply don’t have everything they need to know on their computers. Doesn’t matter what country the reps are in–clueless is clueless.

I can completely empathize with you. I can not stand verizon. I tell everyone about my awful customer service experiences & service. I no longer use verizon for home or cell use. They overcharge- you call to inquire- then call again- but they say “oh, we have no record of your previous call(s). They may have more cell towers, but i do NOT care. I will never use them as my phone carrier ever again. Another huge problem i had with them… i had a break in service & then reconnected w/them & was a customer for another 3 years. All of the sudden i get a collection letter for a bill from 3 1/2 years ago for a lousy $30. In all the yrs i never was told i had a leftover balance. They also said i owed on my home #- so i paid- then a month later i got over $100 refunded to me. Do they have any idea what they are doing?? My guess is not, that is what they charge so much for their services. They are a monopoly, just like our cable company.

The problem I have with Verizon and other cell phone companies is the few extra dollars that are on your bill every month. When I call customer service, I am told that I logged on to the internet – data charge. I never do. Must be hitting it by mistake. Verizon must be making millions of dollars off these ‘mistakes!’

Data charges can be blocked on your cell, just hit *611. It’s also important to note that Verizon Telecom and Verizon Wireless are seperate companies, as much as their confusing ads lead you to believe otherwise. I go to the store on Central Ave and do all my business there for my phones. But when I had VZ telecom, there was only a phone number to call, no store reps. Terrible. I have actually moved my landline # to my wireless account, it’s so much easier when you have a rapport with your local store.

After the article about my problem appearred in the paper, Verizon raised my monthly DSL charge $5 more. Don’t worry I printed out the info. So since last October I’ve gone from an agreed upon price (confirmation numbers aren’t useful either) of $17.99 to $24.99 to now $29.99. So come Monday I’ll be back on the phone again with Verizon. After I noted this new higher charge, I emailed the Good Morning America investigative unit about my situation. Maybe they’ll pick up the story. The best part about this whole thing is that small print warning: if you have account issues your rates can be raised to the non-discounted level. Even though I’ve paid my bill, the bill keeps rising. I thought about the PSC (thanks #10 Chuck Gridly), I guess that will be my next step too. I wonder if Andrew Cuomo would think this an investigatable issue.

Complaints about internet service — even if it’s the same company as the telephone — have to go through the Attorney General’s Office. The Public Service Commission will explain that, provide the number, and the AG will send a complaint form out to you the next day.

(NY hasn’t straightened that out yet, customer friendly, when the telephone is the internet supplier too.)

It is best to deal with Verizon through the mail. Yes, that surprised me too. You will spend FAR less time on it. There is a mailing address in the phone book. Use it. As for internet, for example Verizon dsl, ask customer service for the mailing address. It is in Florida. (Verizon Online, 14025 River Edge Dr., Tampa, Florida 33602)

The AG’s form asks for info that is best supplied by showing your letters.

I recorded my conversations, but most people don’t do that and it’s a pain in the assssss.

I haven’t written yet. But I found in the past that when you write to the Verizon address in the phone book for TELEPHONE problems (Manhattan), they respond very fast and very nicely. It’s the last stop before the PSC.

Again, for internet (because this is complicated NY) you have to see the Attorney General. The PSC will give you the best number.

FYI, FOUR different times, each time confirmed THREE times, Verizon scheduled a service call at my house in Albany for DSL problems and did not show up. I took time off work FOUR times, and Verizon did not show up.

I guess I’ll send a letter to Florida today. Thanks for the reminder!!

As my saga continues I got a response back from Good Morning America’s investigative team that they may consider my issue. I wrote the following update:

Dear Brian Ross & abcnews:
Further developments:
Verizon raised my DSL bill $5 because when they cancelled my DSL service for no reason per the company on 7/7/08, that automatically cancelled my Triple Bundle one bill discount package that had my services revert to their ala carte pricing. When I called billing today, 7/21/08, Mr. Banks in Florida said that they had no connection or awareness of Verizon’s National Provisioning center that sent out the disconnect email and then from the escalating unit to cancel the disconnect email. But the separate organization within Verizon is connected enough to know when there is a disconnect to immediately charge the customer the higher ala carte price on their next bill.
I was also told that Kevin LaVertey, Sr. Consultant for Public Affairs &Communications – the Media Relations Executive, whose office is in Washington State. I then called 1 800 567 6789 and spoke to Ms. Riley who said that even though Mr. LaVertey was quoted to say that he was familiar with my case and that I was treated horrendously in the news article, he wasn’t available to talk with customers because he was high in the food chain and the company can’t give out his number to the public. She then transferred me to Ms. Blackwell who switched me to the corporate directory who gave me a phone number 425 261 5855. I called Mr. Lavertey’s phone at 10:22 pm and left him a message to call me to reconcile this issue, but he was out of the office on 7/21 & 22/08. Since he has all my phone numbers, I’m sure he’ll call – yeah right.
Thank you for your response and I hope you persue this matter for me and all the others who money is being ripped out of our pockets by this billing scam. Think about this: how can a company cut off your services for delinquent billing when your paid up and paid one month ahead?
Jim Mangano

I mentioned in the comment above yours that I had recurring problems with Verizon (the past two years). My DSL problems were finally linked to the telephone, which made it a Public Service Commission issue.

After it became a PSC issue, Verizon called me six times over two days and is on the way to doing more.

I expect to follow up with Verizon DSL about the four times I took off from work and they failed to show up. They cut their staffs to the bone, and make customers bear the cost.

By the way, Verizon repairmen are the same for Verizon the telephone company and Verizon Online, so the companies really aren’t separate.

The guy who came for a DSL issue once came for a telephone issue today.

Do not trust and accept any offer on the phone from any telephone/internet companies. Ask them to send all details by mail so that you will have enough time to go thru their so called “fine prints and bait and snatch” tactics. I used to have Verizon some years ago but, due to their irresponsible and lazy customer service, I switched to Time Warner Three-in-One package (Cable, telephone and internet) and it works well without any problem. Customer service… Great!! You can talk to a real human being!!

You are such a whiner. You complain about a few dollars yet have no problem spending all that time on the phone FROM WORK. You work for the state and should be fired for misuse of state property. From what I’ve seen you are quite the note taker, especially at work. Does the Racing & Wagering Board know you spend all your work time on personal phone calls?

8/10/08 Update: On 7/24 & 7/25/08 I had voicemail from Robt. Salenas, Verizon’s National Sevice Manager for Broadband. On 7/31/08 we spoke and his main concern was that all my credits were applied on my bills. I had requested that Verizon send me all my DSL & Triple bundle bills since 1/1/08. They complied and sent me 8 separate envelopes. USPS will still be in business. As I reviewed the bills I noted that the credits were applied, however there were also still some more surprises that even surprised Mr. Salenas. For example, when we continued to try to have our bank account debited, Verizon is the only account that can’t get the money whereas all the other companies can get their payments. After I had the receipt for one month that we paid, Verizon issued a late payment again and combined it with a current bill. When we were told to only pay the current month, their automatic payment system rejected paying the current month only and swept the current month and “late payment”. In June 2008, my son and I upgraded and exchanged phones. When changing his service on his phone that most people would request internet services, although we never requested the data plan, Verizon assumed we would want it so they added that feature to our bill. The errors that Mr. Salenas and I discovered and of course he said “they shouldn’t have happened”, added up to approximately another $50 in adjustments/credits. Kind of helps you understand why they are a cash rich company. Mr. Salenas said that he wanted to wait a couple of week till the next bill comes out and he’ll call be back with some kind of consideration offer for my troubles. If anybody has any suggestions as to what I should negotiate for, please write them. Thanks and I’ll update when I have more info. Jim

Stay tuned: I’m about to ask Verizon about their DSL-phone connection to the Internet. Naturally, when we connect to sites and send emails, Verizon servers have our IP address. Question is, do they indefinitely maintain, or periodically delete, an archive of the URL addresses of our email recipients and the Internet sites we visit? (The hot 2008 issue of privacy and personal-information security on the Internet today.)

From Canada to India–in all of Verizondom–no support/customer rep knew or would say. Any of you folks here know something definitive?

And then there’s billing. It must be something peculiar to the communication-carrier industry, particularly to the cable TV and, and perhaps, certain phone providers: the added “charge,” “surcharge,” this and that “tax,” and . . . the arcane acronym(s) that may or may not precede the identifier “charge”–something along the lines of “CAF” or “CAF charge.” Call it a “Customer Assistance Fee”–effectively a “hidden” cost we pay to the provider, who, in turn, provides virtually free service to those who simply “don’t have the money” for the service. (Owner of a super flat-screen TV, notwithstanding.)

I signed up for telephone and high speed internet. Sure enough, there is not one false comment that have been posted regarding service issues with Verizon. Verizon told me that I would have service in one week that took about two weeks. When I received the hardware, It never worked. I then spent a hour calling them back. After being on hold for the gracious hour they said,”We will send a tech out to your home on Martin Luther King Holiday”. I guess I was very stupid to have believed that. Because I stayed home all day missing a days pay and no one ever showed. I then called back being on hold for a hour and a half. They then told me that they did not send a tech because its a central problem and they would open a ticket. Also, I had to wait a week for this to be looked into. Sure enough I happened to call them back a week later and found that it was resolved the following day after the intial call. Thanks for the call(Never Got a call.) After calling them back and being on hold for another hour they said that I needed to open a new account. After 4 weeks later ladies and gentleman there is the answer. New account. Wow!! I’m going to open a new account and get the same results. I can almost feel it. After all what can happen other than chasing this for another 4 weeks.

I am trying to get DSL service at my Seasonal Home in Florida (with the ability to suspend service for 6 months a year)….. I’ve called Verizon 6 times and have gotten prices ranging from 19.99 – to 69.99 a month. I’ve received comments from I have to have a phone line in order to get DSL… I only want DSL — which 4 people said i can do. One said i can suspend 6 months a year, one said 9 months, one said not possible. Verizon is a JOKE!

the customer service reps, advise all the time the managers on how to make your life easier, however some idiot’s that never deal with customers make the rules. every week a new policy change or an upsell..kevin there is a media person not a consumer person, he is clueless of course, notice his short quick response that has been scripted for him? do not blame the person your speaking too trust me on this, it is the fault of the management and the vips..it is a miserable place to be, the rep wants to help and be up front but the managment won’t let them..

you can suspend your lines..including wireless..actually you may be able to use dsl without a phone line now that i think about it i think it has something to do with a loop line, next time you call ask them about it..i recall getting calls on it and information about how it is done but it has been a while since i worked for verizon..